


Shattered Realities

by Ruunkur



Series: Reboot: Aftermath [3]
Category: Digimon Adventure, Digimon Adventure Zero Two | Digimon Adventure 02
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-01
Updated: 2019-08-01
Packaged: 2020-07-26 01:48:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20035861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ruunkur/pseuds/Ruunkur
Summary: In the end, even the greatest illusion will be shattered.





	Shattered Realities

**Author's Note:**

> Happy August First, everyone!
> 
> Suggested listening: Tragedy + Time by Rise Against.
> 
> Someone is owed an apology.

The rain came crashing down around her, clothing soaked and plastered to her body.

But she stood before the four graves, silent as she had been in the past several years.

When she reached out to touch the grave stones, she knew that there was nothing buried underneath them. They were only markers to denote that someone had been alive at all.

“Hikari!”

She looked up when she heard her name, turning to see the man with the umbrella.

He was hurrying through the graveyard, careful to avoid stepping on the plots. When he reached her, he held the umbrella over her head, a frown creasing his face.

“You’re going to catch a cold if you stand out here longer, Hikari.”

“What were their names?” Hikari turned her gaze back to the gravestones, ignoring the flash of confusion that came over Takeru’s face.

The graves all read the chilling date of August first, two thousand and two as the death dates, birth dates varying for the children.

And no names.

“Hikari, do I need to get you help?”

She tried to shrug off the hand that was on her shoulder, turning her gaze to look at Takeru.

“What are their names?” she asked, gesturing towards the grave. Takeru followed her hand, turning to glance back at her.

“Hikari…” Takeru moved, placing the umbrella fully over her and ignoring the rain beating against him. “Please, we can come back another day. You’re drenched.”

Hikari looked towards the graves, watching the white cat that had brought her there. The beast smiled, one yellow gloved paw waving at her before it vanished.

“I need… I want to see Taichi.”

“I can take you to see him, but why don’t we get home and get you dry, first?” Takeru tried, 

The concern was plain in his gaze and voice and Hikari wanted to pull away, but she let Takeru lead her to the vehicle.

“Is there something I should know about?”

Hikari looked up when Takeru spoke, her gaze drifting back to the window. The rain was coming down harder now, no one daring to venture out of their homes. She shook her head, looking back down at the phone in her lap, finger tapping nervously against the back of the case.

Hikari: _What are the names on these graves?_

“Maybe… I’ve been working too hard.” Hikari glanced towards the right of her, catching Takeru’s gaze. “I’ve been overwhelmed. Maybe a break would be in order…”

Takeru swallowed, glancing at her. “So, you go to sit in a graveyard for three hours? In the pouring rain?”

She flinched under those words, steeling herself. She straightened, fingers curling tighter around her phone. “Something’s wrong, Takeru. With me, with all of us. Maybe… maybe Taichi had it right in the first place.”

“So do you believe your brother?”

“I think something’s _wrong_ with us, Takeru.” Hikari spat out the words, her eyes blaring as she looked at Takeru. “Stop the car.”

“And where do you think-”

Hikari stared at him when he stopped speaking, feeling the car slow. He flipped on his blinker, grumbling under his breath. “Stop the car.”

“I’m not letting you out into the rain. Hikari, you’re soaked. You’re going to get sick.”

The worry pressed down on Hikari, making her want to scream. She reached up, tugging at the handle. When they stopped outside the building complex, Hikari looked up.

“Besides, we’re home. I’ll let you out now.”

She glared at him, getting out of the car and heading up the stairs. When her phone dinged, she paused, looking at it.

Taichi: _what graves?_

The building tension in the back of her head broke into screams as she read the message.

She scrolled back up, looking at the picture she sent before closing out her messages and walking inside.

~*~*~*~

Taichi scratched the side of his head, looking at the picture Hikari sent. He set his phone down, glancing at the bottle next to him and replacing the cork.

The knock on the door came as a surprise, prompting him to get up.

“What-”

He raised an eyebrow as Yamato’s face appeared in the crack of the door. He glanced behind him, assuring himself he was alone before he looked forward again.

“You going to invite me in?”

Taichi gave him an eyeful through the gap, shaking his head. “After what happened last time? I think I’d rather swallow dog shit.”

“It’s been years, Taichi.”

Taichi blinked at him, staring up at the man. He grimaced, shaking his head. “I don’t care. I don’t want you here.”

Yamato let out a snort, reaching out and curling his fingers around the door. “Do you really think-”

“Taichi, is everything okay?”

Taichi glanced over his shoulder, watching as the shadowy figure stepped out of the secondary bedroom. Even in the dim light, he could see the whip that was coiled at his side, long fingers clutching it tightly.

“Everything’s alright, Ken.” Taichi glanced back towards Yamato. “If I let you in, will you humor me?”

Yamato glanced from the sliver of Tacihi’s face he could see to the figure cast in shadow just behind him. When he looked back at Taichi, the man was staring him down.

“Humor you on what?” Yamato asked, straightening at the question.

“Just… look at a picture and tell me what you see.” Taichi was already walking backwards from the door, glancing behind him. Ken hesitated, taking a step back towards the bedroom. He nodded at the pair, turning and disappearing.

“New… roommate?” Yamato asked, confusion unfurling in his eyes.

Taichi nodded, “something like that. Now…” He picked up his phone from the table, turning to Yamato. “What’s in this photo?”

Yamato looked at him, narrowing his eyes but took the phone from Taichi. After a moment of staring at it, he returned it to him. “Headstones. Did… Hikari pick up back up her photography?”

“Yeah. So, do the headstones say anything?”

Yamato gave him a look, glancing back down at the phone. “Some birth and death dates, and some names, but the rain makes it hard to read them…”

Yamato tilted the phone, tapping on the picture to enlarge it.

“Motomiya… Daisuke is the far left, something Inoue is the next one, Iori… Hida, maybe, is next. And the last one, far right is an Ichijouji Ken.”

Taichi took the phone back, turning it to him and began typing. Yamato glanced at the bottle next to the couch, picking it up.

“How much of this have you had this morning?”

Taichi looked up from his message. “None, that’s from last night. Now, you’ve checked up on me. Can you get out of my apartment?”

Yamato opened his mouth as Taichi set down the phone, placing his hands on the blond’s back and pushing on him to leave.

“Not until you tell me what’s going on.”

Taichi froze, glancing up at him. “You know what I see in that picture?”

Yamato took a step back when Taichi dropped his hands. He met the other man’s gaze, his own eyes dancing. “I see empty plots of land. Because those four named people aren’t dead. They’ve been erased-”

“Fuck, you’re back on this again? I thought you had left it behind.”

“God, this is why I didn’t want to invite you in.” Taichi snorted, shaking his head as he looked over his shoulder. “You’re going to complain about my… delusions regarding the digital world. I don’t want to hear it.”

“Sure, say we did go on some grand adventure at the age of eleven! Use your imagination, Taichi. We were eleven! We’re thirty one now, Taichi. Get your head out of your ass and realize it wasn’t real!”

Taichi opened his mouth to answer, frowning when he heard his phone ring. He picked it up, turning his back to Yamato.

“Hello?”

“You told me there was nothing in that picture.”

Taichi hesitated, glancing over his shoulder. “Yamato decided to stop by for a check-up. He… could see it just fine. Hikari, what’s going on?”

He heard her hesitance on the other end.

“Can I come over?”

“What… uh, sure.” His gaze flashed across the apartment, landing on the bottles gathered around the table. “Hikari-”

He let out a frustrated sigh when she hung up, chucking his phone onto the couch. When he glanced back up, Yamato was staring him down.

“What do you want from me, Ishida?” Taichi growled, voice low.

“I want my friend back.”

The words stung, hanging in the silence and Taichi heard the bedroom door open again. The only one in the apartment was Ken. The others were out, Miyako at her job; Iori at a seminar; Daisuke exploring a new ramen shop that had opened down the street.

“Your friend doesn’t exist like that anymore, Yamato.” Taichi took a step back as Yamato took a step forward, feeling his knees hit the back of the couch.

“No, you just hide behind your childish delusions.”

“I think that’s enough out of you.” Ken stepped forward, sliding between Yamato and Taichi. “Is the only reason you came here… was it only to speak down to Taichi? I have no problem with this visit ending in your blood shed.”

“What the hell-”

Taichi took a breath, reaching out and placing his hand on Ken’s shoulder. “It… it isn’t worth it, Ken.”

“Maybe they shouldn’t have forgotten, then.” Ken met Yamato’s gaze, eyes ablaze with fury. “Or, maybe… you should have forgotten, too, Taichi.”

“Hey, no, no, I wouldn’t have wanted to forget you for anything.” Taichi moved, his fingers curling into Ken’s shoulder.

“Taichi-”

“Yamato, I want you out of my apartment.” Taichi turned, stepping around Ken. The other was hesitant, his gaze flashing as Yamato opened his mouth. Taichi shook his head, glancing back at Ken. “Please, just… get out.” He moved his hand from Ken’s shoulder, running it through his own hair. “You don’t belong here.”

Yamato took a step back, his gaze sliding over Ken before it landed on Taichi. “You’re going to let…” His gaze skittered back to Ken, his mouth opening before he snapped his jaw shut. “Whatever, I have somewhere to be. Sorry I couldn’t… help you, Taichi.”

“I didn’t ask for your help.” Taichi drew himself up, meeting Yamato’s gaze. “I asked for you to believe me. I never asked for your _help_, Yamato.” He took a step closer, Ken moving to the side. “Just your trust.”

Yamato tracked Ken before he glanced at Taichi, letting out a snort. “You need my help more than you realize.”

“Not yours. Now, get out.” Taichi took a step towards him, seeing Ken twitch from the corner of his eye. “You’re a rotten friend, if this is what you’re going to do, as a way of trying to help. I don’t want to see you again.”

Yamato turned, stalking towards the door. When he opened it, he gave Taichi one last glance. He let the words he wanted to say die, turning and leaving the apartment.

“Taichi…”

Taichi glanced at Ken, shaking his head. “Hey, can you look at a picture for me?”

Ken raised an eyebrow, feeling himself loosen as Taichi retrieved his phone. He clicked on the picture Hikari had sent, showing it to Ken.

“Empty plots.”

“That’s what I thought, too.” Taichi pulled the phone away, setting it on the table. “Hikari’s coming over. She… and Yamato sees gravestones in the picture.”

“Ah, is that what you asked him about?” Ken asked, placing his weapon on the couch and moving to pick up bottles. He raised an eyebrow at the nearly full one on the side table, Taichi moving around him and picking it up.

“He saw names on the stones, where… where Hikari didn’t see any. Do you… is it possible…” Taichi struggled over the sentence, glancing back at the bottle. “You’ve been spending time with Hikari and Takeru, even as Kimi. Do you think that… they only buried the memories?”

“You think Hikari is starting to remember?” Ken stopped on his way to the recycling bin, adjusting his grip on the bottles.

“Why is it that they remember me and not you? I… I came out of the digital world, same as you. Why do they still remember me?” Taichi asked, already placing the bottle he carried in the fridge.

“You’ve been obsessing again.”

Taichi let out a sigh. “Couching is only part time. I have the rest of the time to… consider. Come on, it’s been years. Why is she, just now, sending me pictures of gravestones, that Yamato says has your all of your names on it? Why… why now?” Taichi whispered.

Ken met his gaze, thinking. He stepped forward, depositing his trash in the bin and turned to face Taichi.

“Why were you in the digital world when the reboot happened?”

Taichi grimaced. “I wasn’t. We were… fighting…” His memories shifted, falling into place. Slowly, one by one until he placed his hands over his ears, hearing the cries. “Meicrackmon, we were fighting her. In the computer program. Koushiro was trying to get the digimon into the cube and I… WarGreymon was down and I jumped in. I needed to protect him.”

“You jumped into the programming?” Ken frowned, watching Taichi.

He nodded. “I was worried. It happened once before, where Yamato and I jumped into the internet. Where we evolved our partners to Omegamon for the first time. When I woke up, I was in the digital world. The digimon knew us, were waiting for us to return. Then, I found you.”

His gaze was distant, locked just past Ken’s shoulders.

“I was asked if I wanted to return. I did, but I wouldn’t leave without you, any of you. And they… they agreed. This is my fault, isn’t it?”

“Who are they?” Ken asked, taking a step closer to Taichi. “How come you never told us before?”

Taichi swallowed. “I don’t… I think they are Homeostasis. The balance, the light, whatever you want to call it. I wasn’t supposed to be there. If I hadn’t gone after…”

He trailed off, Ken nodding.

“The reboot worked, but backwards. It erased all memories, mentions, and connections of the digital world. Reset our world. But, I… got a pass because I wasn’t data and we weren’t fighting in the digital world, just Koushiro’s program. Maybe that’s what happened.”

“And that’s why your partners remember you. They weren’t in either world.”

Taichi let out a breath. “It’s… a strong possibility that they would have remembered us, anyway? I don’t know. The digital world remembered, but the humans didn’t. You remembered.”

Ken nodded, both of them jumping when there was pounding at the door. Taichi walked to the door, opening it to let Hikari in as Ken disappeared from the room.

“Hikari?”

The woman looked at her brother, lunging forward and clinging to him, burying her head in his head. 

He lifted his arms around her, nudging the door shut. “What’s wrong, ‘Kari?”

“They won’t stop _screaming_, Taichi.”

~*~*~*~

Daisuke looked at the sky, watching the rain come down. He held the umbrella tightly, stepping into the shop and pulling off the hood of his jacket.

“Hello and welcome-”

Miyako cut herself off, waving at Daisuke.

“What, no greeting?” he joked, making his way among the aisles to lean against the counter.

“Hey Daisuke, I’m just about to finish up.” Miyako smiled at him, brushing shoulder length hair out of her face. “What are you doing here?”

“It’s raining.”

Miyako raised an eyebrow. “Yes?”

“I brought you an umbrella.” He held it up, a smile crossing his face.

Miyako rolled her eyes, stepping around the counter to offer him a hug. “Well, thank you for the thought, but I had the forethought to check the weather and bring one myself.”

Daisuke just shrugged, accepting and returning the hug. “A new ramen shop opened up down the street. I checked it out.”

“And your thoughts?” she asked, stepping away. Miyako picked up a few stray trinkets, fiddling with them before returning them to their proper place.

“It was okay.” Daisuke followed her, his gaze lingering on the macabre items that surrounded them. “So…”

“Yes?” Miyako asked, stopping to turn and meet his gaze once more.

“We doing anything special for Taichi tonight?” Daisuke asked.

Miyako just shrugged. “Not like it’s his birthday or anything.”

“But, the twentieth anniversary…”

Miyako hesitated, casting a glance at the other employee. The woman glanced up from her phone, offering them a smile. “I can close up on my own if you two want to get out of here. I don’t see there being much more business, not with this rain.”

Miyako offered her a smile. “You’re the best, Van.”

She just nodded, Miyako retrieving her bag and own umbrella before following Daisuke outside. He opened up his own umbrella, matching his pace with hers.

“Do you think Taichi would want us to do something for him?” Miyako asked, threading her arm through Daisuke’s.

He shrugged, gaze turning to the street. “Man, it’s raining harder than I’ve ever seen. What’s up today?”

“Maybe the skies are mourning,” Miyako offered.

“What would they be mourning?”

Miyako gave him a one shoulder shrug, stepping closer to him as they walked. It was quiet, beyond the rain. And, as they made their way home, there was little to interrupt.

They met Iori half jogging towards the apartment building two blocks away, Miyako wordlessly handing him the extra umbrella. He accepted it, nodding his thanks.

“So, did you win?” Daisuke asked.

“It wasn’t…” Iori let out a sigh. “Izumi Koushiro was conducting a seminar on artificial intelligence. I was interested to hear what he had to say, is all.”

The pair exchanged glances, Miyako nodding along.

“I didn’t stay for the meet and greet. I passed the few questions I thought were safe to a friend, who will send me the answers later.” Iori raised an eyebrow, watching the pair relax.

“Do you think he’ll answer?”

Iori just shrugged. The trio stopped when they saw Yamato talking to Takeru under covered parking, each giving each other a glance before scurrying by, heading up the stairs.

The brothers only gave one glance their way before returning to their conversation.

“Wonder what they’re doing out here in all of this…”

Daisuke closed his umbrella as they stepped to the apartment door, Iori keeping his open long enough for Miyako to open the door.

They froze when the crying reached them, Miyako stepping forward.

“Ken? Taichi?”

Iori shut his umbrella, stepping into the landing of the apartment and shut the door. When he turned, he grimaced.

Taichi held Hikari, patting her back and looking absolutely helpless as he glanced up at the trio. Ken sat on the counter, head in his hands and Miyako stood, stunned.

“Hikari?” she asked, taking a tentative step forward.

“Miyako?” Hikari whispered, eyes wide though her face was still hidden.

Miyako took another step forward when she heard her name, Daisuke cursing as the power cut out.

“They won’t stop screaming.”

The voice was soft, but echoing. Hikari was limp in Taichi’s arms and he trembled, moving to set her on the couch. She turned her head and rested sightless eyes on Miyako.

“The world is ravaged, the balance distraught. It was never defeated, only laid low. And. They. Won’t. Stop. Screaming!”

The lights flashed, a bulb bursting with a pop. Ken jumped off the counter, sauntering to Hikari.

She was mumbling, her words hurried and half lost to the sound of the rain crashing outside. The lights flashed, multicolored. Everyone standing in the room raised their hands, shielding their eyes.

When they dropped their arms, they stood on a blood stained field, rain pouring down from the heavens.

There were eleven of them, Hikari standing at the very center, arms raised.

“Blood yields to blood; realities shatter in the breathing of a moment. Remember. Remember and call forth the memories and their names.”

Taichi stumbled backwards, Ken reaching out to steady them. The other three turned, watching the stunned, unmoving figures.

“What are their names?”

The voice screeched, causing everyone to stumble to their knees, placing hands over their ears. Taichi’s breath caught, the ground too slick below him. When he managed to look up again, lightning flashed across the sky.

“Remember their names!”

“H-hawkmon.”

Miyako spoke first, the name nearly lost among the den. The air grew hot, barring down on them.

“Their names!”

Now, it was a blur of the four kids speaking, one over the other, speaking their partners’ names and their evolutions. Taichi threw his own voice into the chaos, feeling the wind whipping around them. And, with his own partner’s evolutions, he spoke of the others.

“Names!”

Thunder cracked and the others, the ones that never remembered, broke, their voices soft, uncertain.

With each name spoken, the den grew, louder and, soon, it was impossible for them to hear each other. Taich could taste blood, his voice giving out. The others were on their knees, exhausted, but still they spoke.

They spoke until one name rang clear above the rest.

“Ofanimon.”

“Children.”

The storm broke, leaving them in silence. The woman swayed, feeling herself be caught in arms that didn’t make sense.

“Children… what have you done to yourselves?”

It was gentle, soothing and healing, knitting the broken pieces together.

“Reality… it is broken, with even one of you there. And now, you’ve pulled others that had been forgotten. Now…”

Taichi opened his eyes, his vision blurred as the angel set his sister down. She turned, bowing her head.

“Thirteen of you have travelled the lands, here and beyond. You have walked the digital world, have made promise to protect it. And, here you lie… broken and shattered because we could not keep our wars to ourselves. There is peace, be at peace.”

Taichi shook his head, his throat raw as he coughed. “No… no peace, not now. Not-”

“I can make you forget.” She raised her javelin, but lowered it once more. “But, that would be unfair. You have suffered, so much, for your beliefs. And you have kept a promise you did not need to. You have remembered.”

Taichi swallowed, watching as the angel walked to him, kneeling down and rested a hand on his shoulder.

“You have remembered, as they all promised, and all were forced to forget. But you, despite everything… you chose to remember, chose to be outcast. You have a courage that is hard to replace.”

“Taichi.”

He ripped his gaze away, watching as the pink ball came hurtling itself at him. He opened his arms, hugging Koromon tightly.

“You fought for a world that would have erased you.”

Ofanimon had moved on, watching as the four forgotten ones moved, finding themselves strengthened by sitting together.

“You fell for a world that would rather have you been forgotten and cast out, than admit our mistakes. How…” she sighed, lowering her javelin and resting it on the ground. “Be returned, young ones.”

The pools swirled, data recreating itself in front of each of the four warriors.

“Kindness, tenacity, passion, patience… these are qualities that held fast, even through bloodshed and pain. You… we never deserved warriors such as yourself. You came through darkness and through darkness you have been forged. For the great wrongs we have laid at your feet, there can be no righting them. May we only beg for your forgiveness through the years, and may we never let harm befall you again.”

Eggs sat before them, each egg wearing its own, unique crest and tag.

The digimon moved on, voice fading as she moved through the circle. The others were slow to remember, Ofanimon taking longer with each child before she stopped at Hikari once more, kneeling next to her and speaking, so soft that the words were lost.

Ten eggs sat before the group, the others looking from each other to Taichi, before looking away.

“There’s… only twelve of us.” Ken looked up when Ofanimon finished speaking, the digimon turning to meet his gaze.

“This is correct. The other had not been able to be summoned as you had. That call has fallen to deaf ears, and so it shall be.”

“Are we just going to continue your war?” Daisuke’s voice was hard, the man looking up at the digimon in anger. “You can’t-”

“No, the war is over. We seek to heal and create anew. This is our apology. For the harm we have done.” Ofanimon gestured around them, letting herself sigh. “Now, rest.”

Taichi fought to keep his eyes open, Koromon speaking a mile a minute. Taichi just smiled, holding the digimon closer and whispering his own words in return before darkness swept over him.

~*~*~*~

“Hikari.”

The woman opened her eyes, meeting the gaze of the angel. She tilted her head, watching as the digimon shook her head.

“There is no need to speak here. I apologize for the break. It was… the only thing that would allow you to remember. But, now, be at peace. For it is done.”

“Done?” Hikari whispered, reaching up to touch her throat.

She felt strange, floatless, and the angel just nodded.

“You remember.”

Hikari hesitated before she nodded.

“And the others are here, now. There is so much we must do before we can truly repent. But, it is done. And for that, I thank you.”

“You… showed me the graves.”

“The key to remembering, for you always knew.” Ofanimon sighed. “And now, I must return. Hikari, I will always be with you.”

Hikari watched the digimon before her break, the code falling to pieces and reforming.

For, in the end, all that dies is remade.


End file.
